Challenges

Use of wideband design/components to minimise customisation for specific frequency plans.

Benefits

The product provides a modular, high performance Ka-band converter solution in either a stand-alone or space saving multi-pack configuration. The modular design approach enables a reduced delivery schedule. The product has an operating frequency range encompassing the entire Ka-band from 27.5GHz to 31GHz and downlink plan from 17GHz to 21.2GHz. It has a market competitive size, power consumption and mass.

Features

The Stand-alone Ka-Band Downconverter has the following functional blocks: downconverter hybrid, local oscillator, DC/DC converter and crystal oscillator.

The Multi-pack Ka-Band Downconverter has 10 downconverter modules each of which contains a downconverter hybrid and DC/DC converter. 8 mass/thermal dummies are used for the EQM.

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

The system architecture for this Ka-band Down-converter equipment is based on a multi-chip MMIC hybrid implementation for the RF section, using a single piece multi-cavity Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC) packaging technology, and a conventional PCB based DC/DC Converter power supply section. These are housed into a single module mechanical chassis with interconnecting DC wiring, RF cables with input and output coaxial isolators.

Several individual modules can be stacked together onto a mechanical fixing chassis/frame as required for individual spacecraft system requirements.

The Local Oscillator required for the down-conversion process is supplied from separate equipment.

The basic RF converter hybrid is designed to be generally wide band in operation covering the uplink frequency plan from 27.5GHz to 31GHz and downlink plan from 17GHz to 21.2GHz. Specific filtering requirements are implemented using ‘drop-in’ alumina micro-strip filters integral to the LTCC hybrid.